MICHAEL HUTNAK

(NRC postdoc)

 

	U.S. Geological Survey MS #434 345 Middlefield Rd. Menlo Park, CA 94025 Tel: (650) 329-4524 mhutnak@usgs.gov

Curriculum Vitae(pdf)

Education
Ph.D. 2000-2007 - Hydrogeology; University of California, Santa Cruz
Focus: Fluid and Heat Transport in Seafloor Hydrothermal Systems Primary Advisor: Andrew Fisher

B.Sc. 1994-1996 - Oceanography; University of Washington
Focus: Marine Geology and Geophysics

B.Sc. 1986-1989 - Washington State University

 

Research Interests
My research interests revolve around the role of hydrothermal fluids within hydrologically active terrains. My dissertation thesis (Heat and Fluid Flux at a Crustal Scale: Observations and Numerical Models of Coupled Fluid Flow in Young Oceanic Lithosphere) addressed several fundamental gaps in our understanding of ridge-flank hydrological processes, namely the roles of seamounts and basement outcrops is facilitating the exchange of fluid between the crustal aquifer and overlying ocean, the extents and rates of hydrothermal circulation in uppermost basement, the bulk crustal permeability distributions required to support the fluid fluxes, the thermal effects of sedimentation and other environmental processes on measurements of seafloor heat flux, and the timescales required for conductive thermal rebound to occur once basement outcrops become buried and advective heat extraction from the crust wanes.

Research Projects
As an NRC postdoctoral research associate I will be working with Steve Ingebritsen and Shaul Hurwitz to develop and apply multi-phase, multi-component numerical models in order to quantify the role of hydrothermal fluids in caldera deformation. Because heat flux, hydrothermal fluid flow, and deformation are tightly coupled in volcanically active areas, discrimination between deformation resulting from magmatic intrusion and that caused by aqueous fluids in the shallow crust has a direct impact on estimates of the deformation source depth, geometry, and composition. By quantitatively examining the contributing role of hydrothermal fluids in caldera deformation, results of this research will contribute to our understanding of the physical processes surrounding volcanic unrest and will be directly relevant to volcano hazard and geothermal resource assessment.

Publications
Hutnak, M. , A. T. Fisher, et al., Enormous power output and fluid fluxes driven through a few mid-plate outcrops, Nature Geosciences, submitted, 2008

Hutnak, M. and A. T. Fisher, The influence of sedimentation, local and regional hydrothermal circulation, and thermal rebound on measurements of seafloor heat flux, JGR, 112, B12101, doi:10.1029/2007JB005022, 2007.

Hutnak, M., A. T. Fisher, et al., Hydrothermal recharge and discharge guided by basement outcrops on 0.2-3.6 Ma seafloor east of the Juan de Fuca Ridge: observations and numerical models, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 7, Q07O02, doi:10.1029/2006GC001242, 2006.

Hutnak, M., A. T. Fisher, et al., The thermal state of 18-24 Ma upper lithospere subducting below the Nicoya Peninsula, northern Costa Rica margin, in Interplate Subduction Zone Seismogenesis , edited by T. Dixon, C. Moore, Columbia University Press, New York, in press.

Zuehlsdorff, L., M. Hutnak, A.T. Fisher, V. Spiess, E.E. Davis, M. Nedimovic, S. Carbotte, H. Villinger, and K. Becker Site surveys related to IODP Expedition 301: ImageFlux (SO149) and RetroFlux (TN116) expeditions and earlier studies, Proceedings of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, Volume 301: College Station Tx (Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International, Inc.). 2004.

Silver, E., P. Costa Pisani, M. Hutnak, A. Fisher, H. DeShon, and Barrie Taylor, An 8-10 Ma tectonic event on the Cocos Plate offshore Costa Rica: Result of Cocos Ridge collision?, Geophys. Res. Lett., Vol 31, 2004.

Fisher, A. T., C. A. Stein, R. N. Harris, K. Wang, E. A. Silver, M. Pfender, M. Hutnak, et al., Abrupt thermal transition reveals hydrothermal boundary and role of seamounts within the Cocos Plate, Geophys. Res. Lett, Vol 30(11): 1550, doi:10.1029/2002GL016766.

Cowen, J.P., S. Giovannoni, F. Kenig, H.P. Johnson, D. Butterfield, M. Rappe, M. Hutnak, and P. Lam, Fluids from aging ocean crust that support microbial life, Science, 299, 120-123, 2003.

Fisher, A.T., E. Davis, M. Hutnak, et al., Hydrothermal circulation across 50 km on a young ridge flank: the role of seamounts in guiding recharge and discharge at a crustal scale, Nature, 421, 618-621, 2003.

Fisher, A.T., C.A. Stein, R.N. Harris, K. Wang, E.A. Silver, M. Pfender, M. Hutnak, A. Cherkaoui, R. Bodzin, and H. Villinger, Abrupt thermal transitions reveal hydrothermal boundary and role of seamounts within the Cocos Plate, Geophys. Res. Lett., vol. 30, 11, 2003.

Bennett, R.H., M. Hulbert, C. Curry, H.P. Johnson, M. Hutnak, and K.J. Curry, In-Situ Permeabilities of Selected Coastal Marine Sediments, IEEE J. Oceanic Eng., vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 571-580, 2002.

Johnson, H.P., M. Hutnak, et al., Earthquake-induced changes in a hydrothermal system at the Endeavour Segment; Juan de Fuca Ridge, Nature, 407, 174-177, 2000.

Johnson, H.P. and M. Hutnak, Conductive Heat Loss in Recent Eruptions at Mid-Ocean Ridges, Geophys. Res. Lett., 3089-3092, 1997.

Johnson, H.P. and M. Hutnak, Conductive Heat Flow Measured in Unsedimented Regions of the Seafloor, EOS Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union, 77, 321-324, 1996.

 

Abstracts and Other Publications

Hutnak, M., A.T. Fisher, Numerical Models Generate Episodic hydrothermal fluid recharge and discharge guided by basement outcrops, Ridge 2000 Theoretical Institute Workshop, Mammoth Lakes CA., June, 2006.

Hutnak, M., A.T. Fisher, et al., Numerical Models Generate Transient (Periodic) Hydrothermal Discharge Through a Seamount, Seamount Biogeosciences Workshop, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, March, 2006.

Hutnak, M., A.T. Fisher, et al., Hydrothermal circulation within and between basement outcrops on a young ridge flank: numerical models and thermal constraints, EOS Transactions, AGU, 2005, oral presentation.

Hutnak, M., A.T. Fisher, et al., Evidence for along-strike hydrothermal circulation within young oceanic crust on the Eastern Flank of the Endevour Axis, Juan de Fuca Ridge, EOS Transactions, AGU, 2004.

Hutnak, M., A.T. Fisher, et al., Thermal constraints on upper basement permeability near a venting seamount, EOS Transactions, AGU, 2003.

Hutnak, M., A.T. Fisher, et al., Seamounts as conduits for hydrothermal fluid discharge and recharge between the lithosphere and overlying ocean: examples from the eastern flank of the Juan de Fuca Ridge, Cascadia Basin, EOS Transactions, AGU, 2002.

Johnson, H.P., M. Hutnak, et al., Disturbances in oceanic crustal fluid circulation: Response of the Endeavour/Juan de Fuca hydrothermal system to a magnitude 4.5 earthquake, Eos Transactions, AGU, 2000.

Hutnak, M., M.E. Torres, H.P. Johnson, and R.W. Collier, Periodic Negative Heat Flow on Southern Hydrate Ridge: Implications for the Destabilization of Gas Hydrate, EOS Transactions, AGU, 1999.

Hutnak, M. and H.P. Johnson, On Obtaining a Hydrological Seal with the Seafloor: A Concrete Example from Axial Seamount, Ridge Newsletter, July 1999.

Hutnak, M. and H.P. Johnson, Tidal Modulation of Hydrothermal Fluid Circulation; Bare Rock Heat Flow from the Summit of Baby Bare Seamount, Juan de Fuca Ridge, EOS Transactions, AGU, 1998.

Johnson, H.P. and M. Hutnak, Measuring Conductive Heat Flow, Sea Technology, v39, 23-28, 1998.

Hutnak, M., Turbidity Currents in Puget Sound: A Major Mechanism for Transporting Sediment to the Main Basin of Puget Sound, Senior Research Project, University of Washington, 1996.